Lynda Maynard
Craftsy Instructor

San Francisco Bay Area

Lynda Maynard has enjoyed a 35-year career that highlights a wide array of experience in varying contexts of working with textiles. She has brought a passion for fashion to countless classrooms spanning the past 20 years and, during that time, served a number of community colleges while simultaneously leading workshops for various fabric stores looking for new and innovative ways of catering to their growing clientele. Specific areas of applied ... Read Full Bio »

Lynda Maynard has enjoyed a 35-year career that highlights a wide array of experience in varying contexts of working with textiles. She has brought a passion for fashion to countless classrooms spanning the past 20 years and, during that time, served a number of community colleges while simultaneously leading workshops for various fabric stores looking for new and innovative ways of catering to their growing clientele. Specific areas of applied expertise include topics of couture sewing techniques, fitting, and pattern drafting. Coursework developed and taught includes Moulage (French Pattern Drafting), Trouser Moulage, Copying "Ready to Wear," and numerous other offerings. Her 25 years of experience as a successful business owner focused on design and fabrication of high-end apparel have proven to be a great resource for counseling students in search of the best ways to cultivate their own creative talent. Lynda holds a BA in textiles and clothing from San Jose State University. Widely known in the industry as a fit specialist, she has authored two books including her CD book Demystifying Fit and The Dressmaker's Handbook of Couture Sewing Techniques. Both publications have achieved success on an international level.

Lynda's Craftsy Classes

Go inside Vogue Patterns headquarters to gain designer insight before you achieve the chic lines and high-end finish of a Badgley Mischka dress with couture sewing expert Lynda Maynard. First, use a ponte knit to sew the included Badgley Mischka V1399 pattern right out of the envelope for a dress with a soft rolled collar, delicate cap sleeves, beautiful princess seams, flattering peplum, full Bemberg lining, invisible zipper and more. Then, discover how to underline and interface a silk dupioni version of the dress. You'll remove the collar, lower the neckline, add a softly rounded cap sleeve, shape the peplum with horsehair braid, sculpt the princess seams with horsehair boning and finish the dress with a padded hem. Keep your wardrobe in style and your sewing skills sharp as you make designer garments using advanced dressmaking techniques.

Gain confidence and skills in finishing necklines, armholes, hems and more! Lynda Maynard will give you an array of professional finishing options for all your garment-sewing projects, from T-shirts to formal gowns. You'll learn to work with silky and sheer fabrics and be able to reinforce, bind or hem lightweight fabrics without adding bulk or using facings. Whether you're sewing with knits or wovens, Lynda will show you how to finish garments with a polished and professional look.

Create garments that fit and flatter your form with teacher and author Lynda Maynard. You'll never look at a paper pattern the same way again after watching this info-packed class. Lynda's techniques come to life on dress muslins fitted to three women, each with unique fitting challenges, including sloped shoulders, ample busts and flat backsides. Start by learning to "read" the fit muslin as it points you to the right places to adjust the garment. You'll learn the importance of grain lines and well-placed darts. Watch how adding or subtracting fabric from one area of the dress magically improves the fit somewhere else. Then learn how to transfer your changes from the muslin back to the FREE Vogue dress pattern. The end result: a custom-fit garment tailored perfectly for you!